Stravinsky: Pulcinella; Petrushka

Riccardo Chailly, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra

Released on 1/1/95 by Decca Music Group Ltd.
Main artists: Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Riccardo Chailly
Genre: Classical
Distinctions: The Qobuz Essential Discography

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For twenty years, throughout his time with Decca, Stravinsky accompanied the Italian conductor Riccardo Chailly. In fact, in 1979 the Dischi Ricordi label commissioned the young Italian conductor to record 3 LPs dedicated to Stravinsky, probably in view of the tenth anniversary of the composer's death (1981). Recorded at CTS Studios, Wembley, on the 28th and 29th of August with the London Sinfonietta, the first was published in July 1980 by Dischi Ricordi, before the rest of the recordings with the English chamber orchestra (made between the 28th of June and 2nd of July 1980, which also included the Three Clarinet Pieces, Fanfare for a New Theater, Octet, Divertimento, Suites for Small Ensemble Nos. 1 & 2, the Suite from L’Histoire du soldat, and Renard) were finally sold to Decca, who published them in the 1980s. Decca and Riccardo Chailly continued their exploration of the composer's work, often making their mark, for example with their superlative version of The Rake's Progress featuring the memorable Philip Langridge.

This album with the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra includes the ballet Petrushka (recorded on the 11th-12th of October 1993), and the complete Pulcinella (19th of October 1992). Ultimately little known, it remains arguably the best of the Stravinsky recordings made in Holland by Riccardo Chailly. Pulcinella has a magnificent cast, with young soprano Anna Caterina Antonacci, tenor Pietro Ballo and baritone William Shimell. There is much spirit and light in Pulcinella, with its sharp rhythms and generous instrumental virtuosity (6. or 16. Allegro, or the amazing 18. Vivo). Riccardo Chailly's sharp treatment does not overdo the neo-classical side of the score, and even creates strong parallels, in both sound and phrasing, with Manuel de Falla's Three-Cornered Hat, and even with the composer's more modern works: conducted in this way, the Tarantella is unmistakably the work of the same composer who wrote Petrushka. Always very fluid, Riccardo Chailly's conducting style has a tender and truly irresistible lyricism, a virtue for which Stravinsky is not well-known, even in his most "classical" works: but it is nonetheless a crucial quality in the work.

One comes to regret that Chailly did not choose the original version for his Petrushka; here he resorts to the composer's revised, lighter version. But with an orchestra like this, the experience is one of pure pleasure. Here is a Petrushka in the French style, a little light-hearted perhaps - listen to the Danse russe, for example - and those brass instruments belching shamelessly and the truly clownish bassoon, like an anticipation of the start of The Rite. It thrills and excites: this is a happy record indeed. Or, better: this is music in the key of happiness. © Pierre-Yves Lascar/Qobuz

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Stravinsky: Pulcinella; Petrushka

Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra

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Petrushka, K12 (1947 Version) (Igor Stravinsky)

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Igor Stravinsky, Composer - Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Orchestra, MainArtist - Riccardo Chailly, Conductor, MainArtist - Simon Eadon, Balance Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Andrew Cornall, Producer - Michael Mailes, Balance Engineer, StudioPersonnel